Characters

[aaturner]

I have not been to Disneyland since 1998, but we have been to WDW 4 times in that time frame. When we took our oldest son to WDW when he was 5 you could still randomly catch characters roaming thru the parks. Now it is very organized meet and greets. While I understand the necessity of this with the increased attendance, it takes away some of the magic of just seeing them walking around.

From reading these boards it looks like you can still find them randomly walking around Disneyland, is that accurate?

I am hoping it is true and our younger son can experience some of that magic this summer. He is 14, but last year at WDW he still enjoyed seeing the characters at the character meals.

TIA

 

[SMD]

It's very rare and even more so when the parks are crowded. Most people don't even notice them walking and a lot of them time they're moving through the park because they're heading off stage. At DL very few of the meet locations have a fixed line, they're just spots where the characters stop. Like the end of BVS or the flag pole on Main St. A better strategy might be to look up which characters are appearing when and where and just plan to casually walk by and say, "Oh, there's _____, let's hop in the line."

 

[aaturner]

It's very rare and even more so when the parks are crowded. Most people don't even notice them walking and a lot of them time they're moving through the park because they're heading off stage. At DL very few of the meet locations have a fixed line, they're just spots where the characters stop. Like the end of BVS or the flag pole on Main St. A better strategy might be to look up which characters are appearing when and where and just plan to casually walk by and say, "Oh, there's _____, let's hop in the line."

Thanks! Not sure he will want to meet any, except maybe Olaf. I will be on the lookout then, with the fixed ones at WDW they are mainly inside and you don't see them just walking by. So I will do that and be sure to look for the ones he really likes.

 

[Speechphi]

When are you going? We usually go in June, and while we've met quite a few out walking through the park, we've met more at "greets" in the park (you can ask the CMs or photopass people). However, we went during our spring break 2 weeks ago, and met a lot just walking through the park, and could've stopped to meet more.

Olaf (right now) is set up in DCA with a fast pass. I'm not sure how long he's going to stay in that spot. Capt. Hook & Peter Pan wander through FL, and Alice & the Mad Hatter too (also at coke corner for musical chairs around 2).

 

[wdwfan22]

Thanks! Not sure he will want to meet any, except maybe Olaf. I will be on the lookout then, with the fixed ones at WDW they are mainly inside and you don't see them just walking by. So I will do that and be sure to look for the ones he really likes.

Well, you won't see Olaf walking around, he does have his special place to meet in CA. But yes, DL still has so many random characters walking around. There are so many, just a few to mention, Peter Pan runs around the castle area a lot, I've seen Mary Poppins and Burt wandering around, Alice and the Mad Hatter and many more.

I too used to go to DW when you could randomly bump into characters. I think folks at DL don't realize how structured the meet & greets are now at DW. You just RARELY see any character that is not in their designated spot with a long line. One of the many things that has me not to happy with DW these days. Don't get me started on FP+, or the thousands of South American tour groups. Not that I have anything against South Americans, except when a group of 100 get in line in front of me on an attraction, or a qs meal - frequently. For now (and the foreseable future), I'm staying with the park I grew up going to, the original and Best!!

 

[wench]

I think folks at DL don't realize how structured the meet & greets are now at DW

Absolutely! I think at DL, they're probably just as structured as far as pre-planned Disney schedules of when everyone will be in each area. But, somehow they feel so much more organic. Like you really stumbled across some little pocket of magic! Where as at WDW you're pre-planning 6 months in advance & strategizing, "point A, then point B, then FP, then get in line for the character & wait 1/2 hour...& hope they don't go on break right when you get to the front of the line, but of course they always do." Don't get me wrong, I love planning a WDW trip, but it's not quite as magical to me.

I think at DL it's much easier to convince your kids (& yourself) that the characters actually live there because they seem so much more natural & free to move around.

 

[figment_jii]

Absolutely! I think at DL, they're probably just as structured as far as pre-planned Disney schedules of when everyone will be in each area.

I don't think that's quite what wdwfan22 meant...at WDW, almost all character meet and greets are at a specific location (e.g., like the Pixies at DL or A&E at DCA) and at specific times. At DLR, you're more likely to meet a character just wandering around a given area. Yes, I'm sure DLR plans it out ahead of time, but for guests, it means you might "randomly" bump into a character as you walk around Fantasyland or Main Street or Tomorrowland.

 

[GatorChris]

I agree with Figment. WDW has specific spots to meet characters, and you won't find them anywhere else. That's because of utilidoors and specific planning to have characters appear exactly where they're supposed to. At DL, characters have to walk from one area to another to get where they're going. That means you see them walking around "randomly". at times. Plus there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to their appearances - at least compared to WDW.

 

[agamble]

At Disneyland Resort there are specific M&G areas and less formal M&G areas. Anna & Elsa and currently Olaf have locations in Hollywoodland. Mater and Lightning McQueen outside the Cozy Cones. Woody, Buzz, and Jessie on the Boardwalk. These are pretty set, but the only one with FP is Anna & Elsa. You can also meet Red the Fire truck in Carsland and DJ does a cool dance thing. Minnie has a show in the Airfield and meets with guests after the show dressed as a pilot (she also appears at "random" times not associated with the show). FLick can be found in Bugsland. Donald is often found in a gazebo at the beginning of the pier (short lines) and Mickey and friends in period clothing "wander" around Buena Vista street along with some other human characters.

At Disneyland itself you have Tink and her fairy friends in Pixie Hollow and the Princesses in the Princess Fantasy Faire. Mickey and Minnie meet outside their houses in the morning and then Mickey meets in his movie barn later in the day with Minnie meeting in her backyard garden. Pooh and Friends meet outside their ride daily. And the super heroes were meeting at Innoventions, but it's currently closed. None of those M&G have FP though. But you can also find characters right at the beginning of Main Street throughout the day. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto are popular, but I've seen other's like Gepetto and Baloo before. Several characters wander through Fantasyland in the morning (Peter Pan and Alice are quite popular). There's also a musical chair event on Main Street with characters. Other characters like Goofy and Pluto are often found "wandering" in Toon Town. And I've seen Brer Bear and Brer Fox on more than one occasion in Critter Country. Also, additional princesses can be found meeting in the Princess Fantasy Faire outside the actual M&G. Tiana is often found around NOS, and during Halloween and Christmas Jack and Sally can be found there too.

So overall the feeling is that the characters are out and about a lot more than at WDW, even though it's probably all scheduled ahead of time.

 

[Abbey1]

I'm not sure if it was because we were there at a non-busy time, but our last trip (the first week of March), we saw several walking around and posing for pictures. Some of my son's favorite characters were also set up in little spots throughout the park that had very short lines. He was able to meet Woody and Buzz and DCA in Paradise Pier with only 3 people in line, as well as Donald Duck with only 2 people in line when we saw him.

 

[wench]

I don't think that's quite what wdwfan22 meant...at WDW, almost all character meet and greets are at a specific location (e.g., like the Pixies at DL or A&E at DCA) and at specific times. At DLR, you're more likely to meet a character just wandering around a given area. Yes, I'm sure DLR plans it out ahead of time, but for guests, it means you might "randomly" bump into a character as you walk around Fantasyland or Main Street or Tomorrowland.

Yes, that's what I meant to express, but I guess it didn't come across. I'm sure that DL has a very preset schedule for their characters as far as this is when you will go out, this is when you will come in, this is the general area you will stay in. However, by letting the characters wander around their assigned area instead of just standing in one place with a very organized line, it feels more spontaneous & natural to the guests.

When my son was 4 years old at DL, he got to play tag with Alice & The Mad Hatter in Fantasyland. He got to go for a walk down Main Street hand in hand with Mickey. And very confusing to him, but hilarious to me, he got to chase a "druken" Jack Sparrow around New Orleans Square trying to reclaim his "stolen" autograph book. Although he's had some amazing character experiences at WDW, it's rare they reach that level of special interaction.

 

[aaturner]

Well, you won't see Olaf walking around, he does have his special place to meet in CA. But yes, DL still has so many random characters walking around. There are so many, just a few to mention, Peter Pan runs around the castle area a lot, I've seen Mary Poppins and Burt wandering around, Alice and the Mad Hatter and many more.QUOTE]

Figured Olaf would be hard to find walking around, the Frozen characters are in such high demand. He may be the only meet & greet we stand in line for.

One of the many things that has me not to happy with DW these days. Don't get me started on FP+,....

Funny you mention this, I was trying to explain to my son how Fast Pass works at DL. He only went to WDW once with the paper fast pass system, and doesn't remember how it worked - he was 4. Last summer we spent 10 days at WDW with FP+, So when I explained you had to go to each attraction to find out if they were available, the return times and to get the fast pass. He was shocked, "What no kiosk where you can get info on all fast passes available" While planning what rides you want to ride 60 days out is allot of work, the convenience of the kiosk to get a fast pass for any ride in the park was very nice, and I guess the next generation will enjoy FP+ more than we will.....lol

When are you going? We usually go in June, and while we've met quite a few out walking through the park, we've met more at "greets" in the park (you can ask the CMs or photopass people). However, we went during our spring break 2 weeks ago, and met a lot just walking through the park, and could've stopped to meet more.QUOTE]

This is some of the magic I was hoping he would experience. We have a priceless memory of his older brother with Jasmine in Epcot from when he was 5, they sat on a bench and talked and she kissed his check and left a cute "lipstick" smooch on his check. He has never been able to experience this since crowds at WDW were so much larger by the time we took him when he was 4. Doubt at 14 he will get a kiss on the check.....lol, but still seeing them interacting with people and walking thru the parks is so much fun!

Thank you all for the wonderful information! It makes me happy to think he will experience some of the magic I did on my first trip to DL when I was his age. Like a typical teenager he does enjoy the thrill of the rides, but he is also excited about experiencing things I did as a teen that he never has because the attractions are no longer at WDW.....Mr. Toad, Alice.....etc. He wants to ride everything from the Storybook Canal boats to California Screamin. Made our dinner reservations this week 54 more days and we will be there!

 

[aaturner]

Oops not sure I did that last post right, but atleast all the info is there.....lol